Transcript International Tests: Challenges and Opportunities

INTERNATIONAL TESTS:
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Dr. Rob Danin
Senior English Language Fellow
www.robdanin.com
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE
TOEFL (TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE) TEST
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Become familiar with the TOEFL (iBT) format
Research TOEFL score requirements
 Find out what the requirements are for the schools of interest
Answer every question
 Never leave a question blank.
 There is a 25% chance of getting the correct answer.
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE
TOEFL (TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE) TEST
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Use practice tests
 Look
for free samples on the Internet (in addition to using
practice manuals)
 Find
a mentor
 If
possible, work with a native English speaker who
knows a lot about TOEFL and/or has taken the test
 Improve
typing skills
 Practice

typing on a QWERTY keyboard
Become an expert note taker
 Test
takers will be able to take notes in each section of the
TOEFL iBT
 Note taking is an important skill that’s needed for taking
university coursework (study skills)
HOW TO TAKE GOOD NOTES
(SEE ALSO WEB SITE LINK)
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For each section of the TOEFL where listening is
required, you can only listen to the clip ONCE!
 Good
note-taking skills are essential
 Those who take good notes get higher scores on the
TOEFL
Don’t try to write down everything you hear
 Write down the essential information
 Use symbols and shorthand
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 Learn
2 wrt fast b4 u go bananas!
HOW TO TAKE GOOD NOTES
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Resources available to practice note-taking:
 http://www.npr.org/
 http://www.voanews.com/
 http://www.ted.com/
& http://ed.ted.com/
TIPS FOR THE READING SECTION
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Learn academic English
 Read textbooks, encyclopedias, journals and research
articles to become familiar with the language used in
academic material
 Read newspapers/web sites
 http://www.voanews.com/,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
 Watch current English language television and movies
 Watch TV news (CNN)
Practice reading without a dictionary close by
 Use of context clues
Skim through the passage, read the questions, then read for
more detail (study skills)
TIPS FOR THE LISTENING SECTION
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Have conversations with those at an English-speaking
university
Practice listening fully the first time
 On the real test you will only hear everything once
Listen for
 main ideas
 presentation (compare/contrast, etc.)
 key details
Listening resources
 http://www.eslpod.com/website/index_new.html
 http://learningenglish.voanews.com/
TIPS FOR THE SPEAKING SECTION
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Have conversations with those at an English-speaking university
It is best to fill as much of the time as possible with your
response
 It is okay to hesitate for a moment or two when it is time to
respond
 Take the time to think about what to say
 Sum things up in a short conclusion
 Don’t read off of a script
Marks are deducted for poor pronunciation
 Practice pronunciation with a friend or an online program
 Don't try to use big words that may be mispronounced
 Know how to use an expression properly
 Evaluators are not looking for a native English accent
TIPS FOR THE WRITING SECTION
Learn the traditional form of an English essay
 Spend some time planning the essay before
writing it (use an outline)
 When communicating through SMS, e-mail, etc
try to use proper English (e.g., avoid using “U”
instead of you)
 Keep writing simple and clear
 Don't use improper vocabulary and punctuation
 Use examples to support premise of essay
 Leave time to review essay (proofread)
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TEST PREP RESOURCES
www.robdanin.com *
 * The official TOEFL web site: www.toefl.com
 * TOEFL Tips Handbook (PDF)
www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pdf/TOEFL_Tips.pdf
 * TOEFL Test Support
http://my.englishclub.com/group/toefl
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